Lordstown Village Council voted Thursday to rezone several hundred acres of property from residential to commercial so a TJX Home Goods distribution center can be built there. But that decision may be on hold pending a voter referendum.
Opponents of the 1.2-million square foot complex say they’re circulating petitions to force the zoning issue to a vote. That could have delayed a yes or no on Home Goods use of the site until November, perhaps making them go elsewhere.
But, a backer of the project, state Sen. Sean O’Brien, got a voting law amendment passed in May requiring such a referendum to be held within 60 days. He says that way it can’t be a tactic to stall a project into cancellation, and will actually bring the matter to a vote.
“Looking at the various business that will benefit, as well as the schools -- the school is going to significantly benefit from this. So we wanted to give everyone a say in whether or not TJ Maxx Home Goods was coming.”
The Home Good distribution center is expected to employ about a thousand people.
